I heard a snippet of a conversation while dashing through the grocery store not long ago. A woman, visiting from far away, judging by her New England accent, made the comment to another woman, "I am really considering moving here.

"Hello, is your refrigerator running? Well, you better catch it before it gets out the door!" "Hello, do you have Prince William in a can? Well, you better let him out before he suffocates!" "Do you have your TV on? Well, how does it fit?" Ah, the good old prankster kid calls - this is a game from a fading era.

There is nothing quite like a city kid coming to the country. The lessons learned, on both sides of this fence, may be humorous and luminous, shining a light on two very different ways of looking at the very same thing.

The joy and wonderment of youth is a gift like no other. Just when the burdens of the world begin to feel unbearably heavy, I am blessed by the children's' voices that help light up my life, as well as the lives of those around me.

Joy is found in simple moments if our eyes and our hearts are open. Today, from the back porch of what will soon be our new home, I watched nine deer amble across the hay field, just about 75 yards from where I stood, only the white board fence separating us.